Parkway exact change lanes, coin baskets finally being phased out

WOODBRIDGE — The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will be removing coin baskets from the 11 mainline Garden State Parkway toll plazas, replacing their "exact change" designations with full service or E-ZPass only lanes.

Coin baskets will not be removed from the 23 plazas on Parkway entrance and exit ramps that have them, and in fact, parts taken from the mainline lanes will be used to repair and maintain the baskets on those ramps.

NJTA said in its release that some toll lanes will be subject to temporary, short-term closures during the work, but traffic should not be significantly disrupted.

The removals will begin on or around Monday, Sept. 24 at toll plazas on opposite ends of the Parkway, Pascack Valley and Cape May. Crews will then work inward over the following six weeks, taking out the coin baskets at the Bergen, Great Egg, Essex, New Gretna, Union, Barnegat, Toms River, Raritan, and Asbury Park plazas.

According to NJTA figures, less than 5 percent of Parkway tolls in 2017 were paid via the exact change lanes. About 5 out of every 6 drivers paid with E-ZPass.